URBANA ATLAS OF PATHOLOGY

Image Number 76 - Liver, alcoholic cirrhosis, early stage

This gross specimen is an example of micronodular cirrhosis. Note the many small nodules seen on the surface. In micronodular cirrhosis, the nodules are for the most part less than 3 mm in diameter whereas in macronodular cirrhosis they are greater than 3 mm in diameter. Such a classification has no clinical value. There is not any histological difference between these two types of cirrhosis. Often a green hue is seen on a cirrhotic liver due to the presence of excess biliverdin - the oxidized form of bilirubin.